Tag Archives: Dean Smith

I tell myself all the time that I need to set aside more time to write, but if you have ever spent time here at Hope Center, you know that time is a precious commodity, and time to write is rare. I do recognize the importance of communication though, so I am always looking for opportunities to sneak off and write a post. Today I am going to try really hard to get this done because there is SOOOO much I want to share!

Hope Center….

As I sit here typing, I can hear the sounds of Hope Center outside my door, and they are ever changing and ever encouraging. The sounds are more quiet today than usual. I hear Fedna singing as she washes sheets from the clinic. I hear the wind blowing through the papaya trees, and I hear the rooster crow and chickens answer back in unified clucks. There’s a lone mother goat outside the wall calling to her two newborn kids, and it brings a reflective smile to my face as I remember how excited the team was last night to be able to hold one of the baby goats in their arms after church. The team has gone up to Thoman for a hike to the river, and Tony and Vladimir have gone to Leoganne to take baby Francesca to see an orthopedic surgeon who we are hoping can help her with her feet. The house is quiet,and I am savoring the opportunity to remember and write.

Some of you may be wondering who Francesca is. She is one of several patients that God has led us to help in more extensive ways because they need more care than what we can give in the medical clinic here. Francesca was born without feet. We believe it was caused by amniotic bands that twisted around her ankles during development and caused her feet not to develop. One leg still has an open wound on it and the other is completely closed off.

Baby Francesca born without feet because of amniotic bands.

After taking her to a local hospital, we have been providing wound care and education to her mother and aunt every day. Last week, God led me to contact Mike Wilson with My Life Speaks over near Leoganne. I simply asked him for advice since he deals with special needs children all the time. Lo and Behold, he said that an orthopedic doctor would be in town this week as well as an infectious disease doctor who could both take a look at Francesca’s legs and make a plan for her care. Once Tony and Valdimir arrived in Leoganne with Francesca, the doctor told them that there is a doctor in Texas that is going to start making prosthesis for children who are referred to him by Mike. Mike said that Francesca will probably be his first patient, and he is going to do it all for free! Praise the Lord!!

Francesca and her aunt

Every time I have an opportunity to stop and think about everything going on around here, I am overwhelmed by the many ways God is moving in our village and through our ministry. It isn’t US that is doing these things. It’s GOD who is constantly moving, providing, and building this community in astounding ways. WE are not capable of doing what’s been done here. We are only instruments that He uses to answer prayers, bless lives, and build His kingdom. It’s amazing…..

Besides Francesca, we have been working hard to advocate for several others that have come to our attention and been given special provision through the Hand of God. A few months back we saw a little boy named Daniel in our clinic and Tony diagnosed him with an umbilical hernia. I found out that some general surgeons were going to be doing hernia surgeries at a nearby hospital, so I made contact with the lead doctor there and he asked me to bring Daniel to the hospital for the surgeons to examine. I ended up taking Daniel as well as his brother and another boy named Brayence to see the doctors, and it was discovered that all three had issues with maldevelopment of genitalia. Daniel’s brother received surgery already and Daniel and Brayence are now having tests run and are scheduled to have surgery in August. God has provided in miraculous ways!

Daniel and Brayence while on their way to see the doctor

Another patient I would love for you all to be praying for is Graycey. She was born the week that FBC Madison was here and she and a baby boy were born here on the same day! Two days later, Graycey’s parents noticed something wrong with their baby and they took her to a nearby clinic because ours was closed. (It must have been on a Wednesday) The doctor at Love a Child referred her to a cardiologist in Port au Prince and he did a sonogram and EKG. They discovered that Graycey has a heart defect. She apparently has fluid build up around her heart. We contacted someone with Haiti Cardiac Alliance and they have agreed to take her case which means they will do her surgery for free! Please be praying for Graycey and her family as they wait for her to be old enough and weigh enough to safely have the surgery she needs. She has to be six month old and weigh 8-10 kg. Pray for God to hold her steady until then!

Graycey and her family before going to see the cardiologist for a workup and referral to Haiti Cardiac Alliance

Since my last post, Jesula has continued to see the doctor at Bernard Mevs Cancer Center and has now started chemo treatments. Her breast cancer is still horrific, but it is slowly but surely shrinking, and the last time I called to check on her, her voice was much stronger and she sounded hopeful. She is now staying with a family member closer to Port au Prince, so they are getting her back and forth to the hospital. This is a huge relief and answer to prayer!!

Jesula has a terrible breast tumor that has to be cleaned daily and causes her intense pain. She is now receiving chemotherapy in a cancer center in Port au Prince

Many of you have been praying for a young lady named Marise for over a year. She was the 11 year old who came to a mobile clinic we did in Thoman last year and she had two bones sticking out of her leg from an injury she experienced two years prior!

Marise and her sister when she first came to our mobile clinic in Thoman.

The next week I showed her picture to a doctor from Meridian named Dr. Freddy Grant. He was horrified by what she must go through every day climbing up and down the mountain to get water for her family. God burdened Freddy’s heart for Marise, and he began praying for God to make a way for him to help her. Last week Freddy came to Haiti, hiked with Terry Warren to find her in the remote village where she lives, explained to her mother that he had found an orthopedic surgeon willing to help her, and they all went to Carrefour to do the surgery! I cannot tell you what a huge miracle all of this is – for it to all take place in ONE WEEK!!

Sweet smile Marise gave Dr. Freddy Grant before her surgery

Many people in remote villages do not believe in modern medicine, so for Dr. Grant to convince Marise’s mother to go with him, a total stranger, who has told her she may not return to her village for over a month, is huge. I believe the many people who were praying for God to move in this situation were very instrumental in keeping the enemy at bay and placing a God-given peace and trust in Marise’s mother’s heart to cooperate with the plan.

Marise getting ready for surgery on her leg

Now Marise is in recovery from her surgery.

Marise in the hospital in Carrefour being prepped for surgery

It went incredibly well and she was actually released from the hospital today! She and her mother have a place to stay in Carrefour as well as transportation back and forth to the doctor for follow-up care. All of their meals, lodging, and transportation has been paid for by generous donors that Dr. Grant contacted before the trip. There is a pastor there in Carrefour who is allowing them to stay with him and his wife, and they are looking after her care. All of these things do not come together so smoothly on their own. God has moved in a miraculous way! Thank you for praying for God to move in this young lady’s life. He is answering your prayers!

We also had several teams that built houses for families in our village. A group of girls from Natchez built a house for one of my English students and his family. The team from Beersheba Pres built a house in the village for an elderly couple and their grandchildren. And the group from FBC Jackson built a house for Bicly’s uncle who was living in the same mud hut he was born in over 50 years ago. And then the Team from Pensacola built a house just last week in our village! There is nothing like the feeling of handing over the keys to a family who has been living in deplorable conditions and seeing the look of joy and thanksgiving on their faces. God is so good!!

Some of the girls from the Natchez team with Nicoderm and his family after they built their house

Beersheba Pres Team in front of the house they built for a family in our village

FBC Jackson group in front of the house they built for Bicly’s uncle in our village

Teams that have come in the last couple of months have built school desks, cabinets, chicken coups, and finished the terrace garden. It absolutely amazes me how much hard work and buzzing around teams do when they are here. One of the newest things we have added to the agenda here is a Motherhood Seminar. The lack of education in our village regarding childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care is detrimental to healthy births and child development. We have asked God to lead one team per month to host a seminar that covers pregnancy to newborn care and everything in between. So far we have had four seminars and the response has been tremendous! We invite up to 20 pregnant mothers for each seminar and they have learned so much that will be helpful for them and healthy for their new baby! The teams that have done seminars so far have been Freedom Christian Fellowship out of Gautier, FBC Brandon, Beersheba Presbyterian, and Colonial Heights. They have all done an incredible job! We are looking forward to seeing many positive outcomes from these seminars!

Motherhood seminar at Hope Center hosted by FBC Brandon for women in our village who are expecting babies

It amazes us how many professionals come here to Hope Center and use their skills and profession to minister to people in our village. We have had plumbers, carpenters, electricians, business professionals, educators, medical professionals, and the list goes on and on – all giving of themselves and their expertise to minister to people here. Below are some pictures from when The University of Alabama Culverhouse School of Business came and helped people in our village with business plans and computer programs!

Culverhouse School of Business students working with people from the village on business plans

The UA Culverhouse School of Business working with people from the village on computer programs

As But God Ministries seeks to help grow the economy in our village here, more and more people are being blessed with the opportunity to make an income with their own gifts and talents. Two men from our village doing just that are Makil Geoffrard and Nathan Fenelus. Makil has been doing very well with his chicken business as he incubates eggs and grows the chickens to sell. Last month he sold over 100 chickens! Nathan is a tailor and he has started Nathan’s Shoppe Tailleur d’Espoir (Nathan’s Tailor Shop of Hope). He has started making pencil bags for DotProducts and they are selling very well! He has already started working on his second big order!!

Nathan showing off the pencil bags he made for DotProducts #entrepreneur

Makil’s chicken business is BOOMING! He is praising God for provision.

Recently we had a huge eye clinic and dental clinic here. The dental team from Lake, MS, led by Dr. Jimmy Hollingsworth, saw hundreds of patients and pulled even more teeth. I cannot tell you what an instant relief this is for someone who is in intense pain and cannot eat or even sleep because of it. They come here swollen and crying for help and they leave here completely pain free! While they are here, they hear about the love of Jesus and how God has provided this clinic and these resources as an answer to prayers in our village.

Last week we had a huge eye clinic. An optometrist named Lauren Eaton came with the Colonial Heights team and they saw hundreds of people, giving them eye exams and glasses if they needed them. They saw one pastor who was pretty much legally blind and could hardly see to go up the steps into the clinic. When he left, he had a pair of really strong glasses, and for the first time in years, he could see everything in front of him! He was praising Jesus for such a wonderful gift of sight!

This sweet man entered the clinic blind and left the clinic able to see!!

Several of the team members who were entering records on the other side of the room said theirs was the best seat in the house because they got to see the looks on people’s faces when they could see well for the first time in years. What a blessing that was! Praise the Lord!!

Lauren Eaton from Colonial Heights team doing an eye clinic

The teams that have come in the past couple of months have been AMAZING! What am I talking about?…. ALL of the teams that come to Hope Center are AMAZING! I am not sure if I have group pictures of all of them, but here are a few….

FBC Madison team getting ready to head home after an amazing week of ministry

FBC Jackson Team before leaving Hope Center heading home after an amazing week of ministry

Finally, one of the highlights of our year has been the opportunity to share our home and ministry with family. We can explain all day long what it is like to do God’s work here in Haiti, but to be able to actually share in that work with the people closest to us is just extra special. Our summer began with a very special treat when our son Jonathan and his sweet wife Katelyn came to spend five whole weeks with us!!

They hit the ground running by working in the pharmacy, helping with English class, helping with VBS, helping host a double wedding, and even got to help deliver a baby or two! The team here this week just commented on how organized the pharmacy is and it is because Jonathan and Katelyn got in there and cleaned it all up and rearranged some things to make it easier to find things.

We got to go on a three day adventure with them to Jacmel and made a very eventful trip down to the little town of Belle Anse where we got to pay a visit to our friend Brittany Hilker at Reimagine Haiti and sweet Betsy who many of you have been praying over for a year now! Betsy’s recovery from malnutrition has been phenomenal and it is your prayers and God’s provision that have made all the difference in the world for her!

Katelyn and Mickie with Sweet Betsy when we went down to Belle Anse to visit

It was an absolutely WONDERFUL five weeks with them and it ended with a week spent with the entire Meeks family and the Colonial Heights Team. There are no words to describe how amazing it was to share the week with family like we did. We are so thankful that Jonathan and Katelyn were able to spend so much time here with us and even more thankful that Katelyn was able to have her family here too! This week we have Jacob and Madison here with us, and they will be here for the next three weeks! We are beginning to get very spoiled!! We will post pics of them at the end of their stay.

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Once again, I want to thank you all for the part you play in our lives here at Hope Center. Your prayers and support help make things like these happen every day here. Lives are being changed, souls are being saved, people are being healed, and God’s love is shown every single day here……at HOPE Center.

I am a bit delayed in posting the following post. I prepared it right after the Freedom Christian Fellowship team left, but there were a couple of things I had to add in before posting. Life never seems to slow down, however, around Hope Center, so days clicked by and they turned to weeks. So now that i have a few minutes to reflect and edit my post, I’m finally posting my recollections of the week Freedom Christian Fellowship came, and it makes me miss them all over again. We love you guys!!

It is never easy to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, after a full week of more activities than I can count, the team from Freedom Christian Fellowship loaded the bus to head back home, leaving tear stains on my face as I hugged each one and watched them climb the steps of the bus. Telling them goodbye is like letting go of something that is precious to you, because you know you have no choice. All you can do is hold onto the memories and know that your prayers for one another keep you close until next time. Sounds like family right? Well they are indeed family to us. We always cherish their time here and this week was no different.

The pastors that attended the pastors’ conference showing off their certificates at the end of the conference.

Pastors Dean Smith, Brad Smith, and Brian Miller and their team hold a very special place in our hearts and we know Haiti holds a very special place in theirs. Pastor Dean Smith from Freedom Christian Fellowship in Gautier, MS, has been leading pastor’s conferences here in our area for three years now. When he comes, he always brings a team of amazing people with him who show the love of Jesus in many, many ways. The pastors here know he loves them not only because he tells them so, but because he comes back. Tony and I know he genuinely loves us too. He and his brother Brad and their dear friend Brian Miller and ALL of their team members will always hold a dear place in our hearts.

Alex & Rachel lead the Easter Week VBS with the orphanage kids and Rachel & Macey hang out with the kids.

It was a crazy, busy week. Besides the pastor’s conference, the team was also busy with other things happening all over Hope Center. Dean and Brian brought their daughters, Rachel and Macy along this time, and their favorite activity was playing with the kids at the orphanage. Because it was the week before Easter, and the kids were out of school, our intern Rachel had daily activities planned for them leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. Every day Alex would lead them in a Bible story, they would sing songs, and they would make a craft that held some sort of significance to the Easter story. While this was going on, Brenda and Jane were leading a Motherhood Seminar.

Jane & Barbara talk with the first mother to arrive at the motherhood seminar. Translator JuJu was a tremendous help at the seminar.

I have been planning and looking forward to starting these Motherhood Seminars for quite some time. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to periodically have teams come and spend a week teaching expectant mothers about pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care. I mentioned the idea in an email to Brenda before they came, and as Dean said, she took the idea on with a vengeance. She put together an amazing week of loving on these mothers, stressing to them that they were chosen by God to be the mother of this child, and that He had equipped each one of them to be able to care for her baby. There were only five mothers who participated in the seminar this week, but I am sure that as teams come and continue the teaching, more and more will come and learn about how beautiful it is to be a mother. Thank you Brenda and Jane for taking this on! You have started something wonderful!

Tom & Jonathan take care of Esther in the clinic.

Throughout the week, two of the team members helped in the clinic. Tom and Jonathan were amazing help in the clinic. Unfortunately Tony came down with some sort of virus, so it was great to have someone so knowledgeable and equipped to stand in for him in the clinic. Tom and Jonathan took care of many medical needs in the clinic and Tony didn’t have a thing to worry about. He certainly wanted to be able to be in there working with them, but it was a relief knowing that God had provided capable hands during this time. We are so grateful for the love they showed to the people who entered the doors of our clinic this week.

Phillip & Matthew putting up fans in the breezeway.

It seems like with almost every team that comes, God provides a handy man in the group because He knows that we have so many needs here that just require the attention of someone who knows how to fix it. This week was no different. We have had fans sitting in the depot for several weeks. Al Subblefield from Pensacola gave them to us to put up in the breezeway to help keep the air moving and provide softer lighting at night. Among many other “fix-it things” that needed to get done, Phillip and Matthew jumped right on the fan installation and did a wonderful job. Throughout the week, they helped with other things as well. They helped Charles and Junior get the post holes dug for the garden fence; they worked on the generator; they helped with VBS for the village kids two days, and one night they even held a youth praise and worship event for teenagers in the village. They were some versatile and busy guys all week! We are grateful for their talents and servant’s heart.

Kelly, Leyna, and Macey with Marie Francis and Yvnante making plates for the pastors’ conference.

I certainly can’t talk about this week without also mentioning two very special people we had with us who were not a part of the FCF team, but they were definitely a VITAL part of our Hope Center team this week. We have had two short-term interns here with us in the last few weeks, and as always, they have been a HUGE help and made an amazing contribution to the ministry of Hope Center. Kelly Dukes and Leyna Hendley have been here before at different times, but it was definitely God’s plan for them to be here at the same time during this week. Again, God provided who we needed when we needed them, and Leyna and Kelly were right where God wanted them to be….Hope Center.

Kelly practicing her head-balancing skills while taking plates to the pastors’ conference

Kelly’s expertise as a paralegal was extremely valuable this week in helping Tony with paperwork in the clinic. Tony has been working hard to get our clinic working under Haiti Ministry of Health standards, and with that comes a LOT of record keeping. Kelly took on the task of entering patient records into the computer and assigning dossier numbers to all of them. She spent HOURS on the papers, and she helped Tony find his way out of a mountain of paper work. Not only did she help with this, but she also took on registration in the pastor’s conference, made the coffee each day for the team and pastor’s conference, helped us prepare lunch plates for all the pastors, as well as many, many other odds and end things that she gladly took on to help out. It’s always good to have Kelly around, and we are so thankful to have had these few weeks with her at Hope Center.

Leyna visiting with Bicly’s family in the village.

Leyna is one of those people who has a contagious, genuine love for Jesus, and every single person she comes in contact with can see it and feel it in her smile and her touch. I truly believe that she sees every moment she has interacting with people as an opportunity to show the love of Jesus and allow that person to introduce her to a new experience in life. Leyna spent her time here at Hope Center doing many things. She helped Hannah with the girls and homeschooling; she helped in the pharmacy; she helped Vierge and Marie Therese in the kitchen; she helped prepare the lunch plates for the pastor’s conference; and she absolutely LOVED it when she had opportunities to go into the village and connect with people. Leyna and I had three very special occasions when we were able to visit and love on people together. One was when we went to Bicly’s house because his mother had invited us to come eat pigeon! Leyna has an adventurous streak in her, and she loves to experience other cultures. Rachel and I went with her to Bicly’s and we all had a delicious meal of pigeon and bread and sauce sitting at Bicly’s dinner table and enjoying great company. Another special time was when we went back to Bicly’s and shared in worship with his family and neighbors at a revival service they were having. We prayed and sang with them and worshipped our Father together, and I am so thankful for this time she and I shared with these precious people. Lastly, Leyna and I had an opportunity to minister to a young woman on the way home from Bicly’s house, and I think this was probably a highlight in her time here at Hope Center. When we were walking back to Hope Center from Bicly’s house, we came upon a young woman walking on the main road. We began to initiate conversation with her and we found out that she had been to the clinic and needed to go get her husband and go to the hospital in Croix des Bouquets. She didn’t feel well and she had no money to pay for food or transportation to Croix des Bouquets, so she had a very long walk ahead of her. When Leyna and I arrived back at Hope Center, we grabbed up the keys to the truck and a got a little money from Tony and headed out looking for her on the road. We found her, pulled over the truck, and asked her if she wanted a ride. She climbed into the truck and immediately fell apart in tears. It was obvious that she was overwhelmed. I could tell that she had been praying for God to help her, and in minutes, He answered her prayer by sending us to give her a ride. As we rode, we talked about the love of Jesus and how God knows our needs. Along the way, Leyna and I realized we had rushed out of Hope Center without our passports and I didn’t even have my purse or driver’s license. We immediately prayed for protection and favor and trusted God to do just that as we went on our way to Croix des Bouquet. By the time we arrived at the house where her husband was working, she had a totally different countenance. She was smiling, happy, and grateful. Leyna and I had no doubt that God had used us to remind this lady of His love for her and that He provides for our needs.

Rachel playing with the kids at the orphanage

To recount every exciting event that happened throughout the week would take forever, so I will spare you the reading. I do, however, want to thank each of you who pray for us and for those who come serve here with us. There is no telling how many lives are changed every single week around here as people share the love of Jesus with people who depend completely on God’s provision for their every single need. Oh that we could all come to that place when we realize that HE is Lord and Bondye Konnen!! (God knows).

The team at dinner sharing some love for Hannah on her birthday. This cookie is for you!! Happy Birthday Hannah!

We are thankful for another amazing week with the Freedom Christian Fellowship team and Leyna and Kelly. We look forward to the day you all return and share your love for Jesus with the people of our village.

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Project Haiti has now become But God Ministries. We anticipate amazing things that God is going to do through this ministry. Click on the link and read about what God is doing. Be prepared to be AMAZED!!!